Electrical loads such as overhead lighting are designed to be powered by one active (hot) conductor carrying AC current and a neutral (return) conductor. Power to an overhead lamp is controlled through an ON/OFF wall switch with operating power being switched through the hot conductor on one side of the lamp load, and with the other side of the lamp load being connected to the neutral conductor.
Conventional lighting control systems provide a main switch control station and one or more remote switching stations providing independent ON/OFF operation. Such systems utilize three-way and four-way switches in combination with one or more traveler wires to effect independent ON/OFF operation at each remote location. In a typical installation in which a single overhead light is controlled from a main station and a remote station, a manual, two-way switch is installed in a wall box at the main switch station, and a manual, two-way switch is installed in a wall box at the remote switch station. One side of the lamp load is connected to the power source neutral conductor, and the other side of the lamp load is connected by a load conductor to the main station switch. A hot conductor connects the hot supply line to the remote switch. The main switch and remote switch are further interconnected by an auxiliary power distribution conductor, commonly referred to as a traveler conductor, a hot conductor and a ground safety conductor. In this two-way switching arrangement, the lamp load is wired in the conventional "switched hot" configuration.